Porterhouse’s Red Ale pours an attractive reddish-amber color with brilliant clarity and a sticky head of rocky tan foam. Look for prominent, luscious malty aromas of toasty bread, hints of brown sugar, big caramels and a wisp of butter leading to a toffee-like impression. On the palate, this traditional Irish red presents a central core of caramelized, toasty malts, with toffee and nutty notes overlaying mild hints of fruit. We found it nicely balanced with moderate malt sweetness countered by an equal dose of hop bitterness which builds a bit and dries out in the finish, lingering with a crisp, earthy and spicy note. The great beer critic, Michael Jackson, once said this beer was “so flavour-packed that it makes Caffrey's [a popular red ale owned by Molson Coors] seem like Tizer [a red-colored British soft drink].” Indeed, it’s flavorful and easy to drink, and makes an excellent pairing with roasted or grilled meats, which can complement the caramelized notes in the beer. Try Shepherd’s Pie or roasted pork or lamb with grilled or stewed root vegetables. Cheers!

The Porterhouse Brewing Company (Dublin, Ireland)

The Porterhouse Brewing Company got its start with the opening of the original Porterhouse pub and restaurant in Bray, Ireland in 1989. Instead of serving only the usual run-of-the-mill beers, founders Liam LaHart and Oliver Hughes took an interest in craft imports, particularly the superb offerings from Belgium. Despite the well-known drinking culture in Ireland, the dominant beers at the time were all from huge breweries and global conglomerates, and the pair aimed to put a dent in that. In 1996 they opened another location in the Temple Bar area of Dublin, into which they installed their own brewing system, turning the location into Dublin’s first brewpub. Additionally, they went all-in on craft beer, refusing to stock the big brands, and humorously naming one of their new brewing creations Weiserbuddy.

Many industry experts scoffed at the idea of a bar which refused to serve established brands in favor of small-batch brews, but Porterhouse has certainly had the last laugh. Their business has been so successful that in the succeeding years they have opened several other Porterhouse locations in Ireland and London, plus several small tapas bars under the related “Port House” brand, as well as a Porterhouse location in New York’s famed Fraunces Tavern – the oldest building in Manhattan and a meeting place of the Sons of Liberty.

Porterhouse is still dedicated to small-batch brewing using the best ingredients, including barley malt from Athy in nearby County Kildare, and they embrace the use of renewable energy and donate spent grain to local livestock farmers. Under brewmaster Peter Mosley, the brewery crafts as many as 15 year-round, seasonal, and specialty brews in a variety of both traditional Irish styles, such as dry stout and red ale, as well as other popular styles including pale ale, barleywine, and black lager. For more info on the brewery and their variety of pub locations, visit www.theporterhouse.ie.

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